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FSU already seeing Blackman step up at QB; 'He's that leader that we need'

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From the time he first stepped foot on campus, James Blackman has been described as a natural leader.

Now, for perhaps the first time in his Florida State career, the redshirt sophomore has the opportunity to really spread his wings.

With veteran quarterback Deondre Francois dismissed from the team and the Seminoles coping with a very thin depth chart at the position, teammates say Blackman has raised his game to an even higher level.

*ALSO SEE: More updates and video interviews with FSU players on Monday

They've seen it already in informal passing sessions and during the Seminoles' winter conditioning program, "The Chase."

"I think it actually made him work a little bit harder, because he knows a lot of people are depending on him," sophomore cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. said of Blackman. "And he wants to prove a lot of people wrong that doubted him."

"He's a leader -- bringing that energy every day," added sophomore Jaiden Lars-Woodbey. "And I love it. We need somebody in the program who's always going to bring the juice every day, and that's him."

Blackman started 12 games as a true freshman in 2017 when Francois sustained a season-ending injury, but he only saw action in four games this past season. As a freshman, Blackman passed for 2,230 yards and 19 touchdowns. In limited duty last fall, he passed for 510 yards and five scores.

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